When kids “act out,” what if it’s not manipulation—but communication? In this conversation, our Adoption & Foster Care Clinic team unpacks why co-regulation must come before correction, how to parent to emotional age (not just chronological), and how understanding the window of tolerance can transform your home. You’ll hear practical steps, gentle scripts, and real-life examples of repair, attunement, and modeling calm when your child can’t find theirs.
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Thank you to our sponsor, Show Hope.
What you'll learn:
Behavior as communication: seeing the need beneath the behavior
Why connection is not the opposite of correction—it’s the tool for correction
Co-regulation, emotional age vs. chronological age, and realistic expectations
Window of tolerance (hypo/hyperarousal) and how to bring kids back into it
Scripts parents can use in the heat of the moment + the power of repair
Grounding ideas (breath, cold water, safe touch), tone/eyes/face, and modeling